You're Coming A Long Way, Mary Anne
by CNJ
Summary: Mary Anne's journal of her senior year in undergraduate college & her graduate school years as she reflects on where her life is headed. Contains strong language & controversial issues. More added!
1. 1

This story is on Mary Anne. It's her journal and in this one is her senior year in undergraduate school all the way through graduate school. I'm not sure how long it'll be or whether it'll take her all the way through graduate school. The usual disclaimers for BSC and ex-Fabulous Five characters, but the characters BSC and Fabulous Five fans haven't seen are mine. Enjoy!   


**July, 2004******

_Thursday_: 

So good to finally have a little rest! We've finally moved into our house...Mona, Greta, Wyser, and me. We're splitting the rent four ways and we lucked out finding this house right up the street from Staten U. Just one more year and all of us will be graduating. Then it's on to grad school for the four of us. Moving is hard work as it is and it's even HARDER on a hot, humid, sticky day like today. I'm beat...but I'm also sooo happy and excited about this place! A new phase in all of our lives are just beginning and we're all kind of excited. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Friday_: 

Have most of our stuff unpacked. I spend all day organizing everything. Called Sharon and Dad and gave them my new number and address. Also called Grandma Baker in Iowa. I hope to have my computer hooked up tomorrow, so I can e mail everyone again. I also called my friends last night, my friends from high school from the original BSC to let them know I got moved in all right and to give them my new address and number. Actually, Kristy, who's right up the block at Fellowdean, came over yesterday afternoon and helped us with a lot of the heavier stuff. I was sooo glad to get that last box moved in here!   
We didn't eat until around nine-thirty last night and it was a takeout pizza, which we ate out on the porch. Kristy ate with us and we four residents treated Kristy in payment for her helping us move in here. Another great thing about this house...it has a big wraparound porch and you can see the Statue of Liberty from it. While we were eating, we watched it turn on for the night. Liberty still continues to take my breath away. I think of my great-great grandma Syraria Wegenstein and the courage she must have had coming here from Germany to start a new life from virtually scratch. Grandma Baker tells me she was one determined woman and that she became a successful tailor against all odds. Back then, society wasn't as civilized as it is today and women were kept out of a lot of professions. I guess sewing runs on my mom's side of the family since Syraria, Grandma, my natural mom as well as I like to sew.   
Even now, I'm headed outside to the porch to view Liberty. Greta and Wyser hit the sack early tonight after we ate another take-out meal of Chinese. Mona's upstairs in her room reading. I'm now out here on the porch writing in this journal and looking out over the New York Harbor at the Statue of Liberty. I love how she isn't some skinny model, but a real-looking woman with fat hips and hands and a real-looking face.   
Well, tomorrow is our shopping day. The four of us have to head on to Shoppers Food Warehouse and a couple of other gadget stores tomorrow and load up on daily essentials. Funny how you don't think of things like toilet paper or soap until you move. Thank the stars I remembered where I'd packed my soap so I could shower after another hot, slimy day, but none of us remembered where we'd put the toilet paper, so we had to open up ALL the boxes, which were piled in a huge mess in the living room and kitchen, so we could dig it out. I know I had to pee three times today since I drank about a liter of coke and several cans of Sprite. And being on college budgets, we're going to need cheap frozen dinners by the end of the week.   
I hope we get cooler weather next week, because I'm getting tired of the heat. Our air-conditioner should be on by Saturday or Sunday at the latest, thank the stars above Liberty. We just have to buy a filter and install it in there. Meanwhile, this heat is making me drowsy, so I'm going in and turning in.   
  
  


_Saturday_: 

Another busy day. We got a lot done. Did the shopping, working our way from one store to another along the city. One of the great things about living her in New York City is that everything is sooo close by. Just hop on the train or a bus to go just about anywhere. Mona had her carry-on cart and so did Wyser, so we were able to load stuff on and bring it all back and forth. I think the bus driver on the route started to get to know us, since we took three trips back and forth to lower Manhattan. On the way back, we passed by the World Trade Center site and we saw that they are starting to build a new one there. It won't be the steel and glass skyscraper it was before, thank the stars. It'll be mostly brick and concrete and a single tower. There's also going to be a memorial at the site where the first World Trade Center was. The new one will be down about two blocks.   
By late afternoon, we got the shopping done, at least the stuff we'll need for now. We have a little list and might add to it from time to time. And best of all, we now have the AC on. Mona put the filter in; I put the plugs in and voila, we got COOL AIR. I'm here, nice and cool in my room, writing this. It's still stifling out there, but the weather report says it'll probably dip down into the mid-eighties by next week. Good, because this week, we're all on our work breaks, but I go back to work on Monday at the campus bookstore. And I also got my computer plugged in about an hour ago, so I was able to e-mail everyone.   
Stacey says it's been hot up in Vermont too; she's at Aberdine U. getting ready for HER senior year in undergraduate school. Did I tell you she's majoring in engineering? I wouldn't be surprised also if she winds up valedictorian again just like she was in high school; she's the brightest of all of us in the BSC. She also plans to go to graduate school after that. Go, Stace!   
Dad and Sharon e-mailed back right away and say it's been hot and humid in the old town. That's what all of us call Stoneybrook, since my BSC friends and I grew up there. I haven't been back there since last Christmas; it doesn't look like I'll make it there again until Thanksgiving this fall. Oh, well.   
Things are slowly falling into place here. I'm looking around now and am relieved to see my room neat again. I've even put up some of my posters, the one with the Statue of Liberty over my bed and the one of the New York City skyline. I also have the picture of me and my friends up on my dresser, several of them in fact, of us at different ages. One is of us the summer after eighth grade when we took that trip across the US of A in the RV and the other is one Kristy's mom took after our high school graduation in our caps and gowns. I still get tears in my eyes sometimes remembering our high school days, both bad and good. I'm so glad all of us have stayed friends, despite the fact that we're scattered all over the States. I'm about to get in bed with a good book, so good night; talk later!   
  
  


More later! Let me know what you think; don't hesitate to R&R away! 

  
  



	2. 2

Have more of Mary Anne's journal! Just a disclaimer...as many of you probably saw in some of my other stories, I just want to remind readers that Shane Arrington is a creation of Betsy Haynes, not the current author and that Rowena aka, Ran Zak is a creation of L. E. Blair, not the current author. Oh, and also, if any homophobes happen to stumble here upon this site...there are gay characters in this story, just a warning, so if you're one of those who think it a great "sin" to be gay or are prejudiced against gays, be warned; this story recognizes gay rights and honors gay couples just as equal as a straight couple. Soo, as Ann Martin says, happy reading, readers and thanks for reviewing my other stories; I appreciate it!   


**August, 2004**: 

_Sunday night_: 

Hi, just got back from the pool. I know it sounds strange since it's eleven-thirty. Sometimes, after the pool closes, a bunch of us-usually Kristy, Mona, Greta, Wyser, Shane, Ran, and I go for a late-night dip. I think eight is a little too early to close the pool; I mean, the sun is still up at that time in the summer. The pool back in the old town closes at nine, but not this one. Sometimes, we go during the day if we're all free, but it's less crowded at night. Since it's a city-funded pool, there's never an admission charge.   
The fence isn't that high and half the time, the guards forget to lock it, so it's easy to get in; we just scale the fence the few times it is locked. Occasionally, there're others there dipping. Most of them are college students, but there's this one middle-aged lesbian couple that comes there sometimes too. We had a good time tonight as usual and the water feels sooo good considering the heat. Kristy and Shane sometimes strip completely and skinny-dip. Those two are a riot! Well, tonight, Greta and Wyser joined them and stripped too. It was funny seeing the four of them swim naked. Sometimes, some of the others who come here skinny-dip too. Mona, Ran, and I haven't worked up that kind of courage yet; I'd feel weird with my breasts exposed outdoors, no matter how hot it is.   
Tonight, we had the pool to ourselves; no one else was there tonight, so we brought a rubber kickboard and played toss with it, then used it to float back and forth. The moon was out tonight and was soo pretty. It's in its last half now.   
Right now, I'm here in my room, feeling fresh from our dip while Mona's in the shower and Greta and Wyser are in their room, probably necking. Oh, maybe I forgot to mention that they are an item and have been for about a year. Greta says that she hopes by the time we get through graduate school, more states, including New York will let gay couples be officially married just the way straight couples are.   
Right now, Hawaii is the only state that has it in their books, although I've read that individual judges, rabbis, ministers, and priests go ahead and at least have a ceremony and record the union. Mona could vouch for that, since she's also gay. I wonder when this country is going to wake up and realize that gays have the same rights as straights and starts recognizing that their love is just as valid? Many other countries do; why is the States so backward on that? Well, the U.S. is advanced technology-wise, but is sooo backward-thinking on other issues, especially sexuality and domestic issues.   
I find it so hard to believe that we're one of the only "advanced" countries that doesn't have universal day-care, doesn't have universal sex protection devices in their schools, and only just recently as of a few years ago, thanks to Bill Clinton, passed the Family Leave Act. I just hope when we have families of our own, the States catches up or all of us are going to have a lot of battles to fight. I thank the stars I live up here in the Northeast, actually, they're more liberal and forward-thinking than many other parts of the country, especially down south. Well, hey, Mona just got out of the shower, so I'm going to go shower, then get in bed with a book. I'm halfway through _Summer Sisters_. It's a really good Judy Blume adult novel; she writes a lot of good adult books as well as for kids. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Thursday_: 

Finally! A little break in this heat wave! Oh, it's a relief! It dipped down to the mid-eighties today. It's still rather humid, but at least it's bearable now.   
I'm here in the lounge of my work at the campus bookstore on a work break; I have a half hour before I have to go back; today's my day to ring up the sales. We employees are rotated duty-wise. One day, it's ringing up sales and cashier stuff; another day it's restocking books; another day it may be in the back taking inventory. Tomorrow afternoon, I have inventory. I like the work; I like being around books and the people here are nice. Oh, and yes, the assign a person for break coverage for the cashier, so right now, Kim Salvado is covering the cash register for me while I take my break. In the summer, I work more hours and save up my money, although it isn't quite full-time.   
I'm grateful that most of my tuition is picked up by partial scholarship and state and federal aid. The first two years I was here, Sharon and Dad helped with the bill too, pitching in twenty percent to match the twenty percent I was putting in out of my money. I have a college fund that I saved up from the all the baby-sitting I did in middle and high school, so I don't have to worry too much about that. Most of the money I earn here is either put in my checking account or used for rent, my books, and day-to-day expenses.   
Now Dad and Sharon don't have to worry about my tuition bill at all since I'm now considered independent and last year Uncle Sam and New York State kicked in more toward my bill. Oh, thank you both, federal government and state of New York! I'll think of some way to pay them back by doing my part to make this country and New York a better place, make it worth their cash.   
I also still baby-sit some weekend nights and over the summer to supplement my income; every little bit helps. Mona babysits too; she works part-time in the campus variety store and also is getting financial aid.   
Soon, I'll have to fill out the paperwork for financial aid for graduate school and look for a job closer to my field; I might have a shot at student-teaching next year. That'd be swell; real experience before I get out of college, so I'll be prepared. I've been checking at the career planning office and a lot of the public schools here hire students to work part-time in their offices, either as assistants or for mundane clerical work and the pay would be better. And on top of that, graduate school at least in my field, would be just maybe two three-hour classes a semester, so I could maybe have two days of classes, three days working, etc, etc. Hey, I gotta run, my break is just about over and I'm slurping the last of this soda before I run back to the cash register and relieve Kim. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Saturday_: 

A quiet weekend night (as quiet as the Big Apple can be) and I'm here at Laurie Levaugh's apartment baby-sitting her three-year-old twins while she gets a break from parenting and goes out with a group of friends. The twins are asleep now and I have my journal here as well as some of the books I've bought for the upcoming semester here in my backpack.   
Classes are just a few weeks away and I'm looking forward to it. Hard to believe it's my last year in undergrad school. Our gang...Kristy, Mona, and the rest of us...the night pool gang, come to think of it, are thinking of taking a Labor Day weekend trip to the beach. The beach isn't too far and we'd go early on Sunday and spend the day there, then come back home that night. None of us have to work that Sunday, so it sounds like a good day to do it. We still have to iron out a few plans, figure out what food to bring, etc, etc.   
Just went to check the twins; they're sooo adorable. They're twin girls, fraternal twins. Laurie's actually a student at Staten U. and we met last spring when I saw her putting up an ad that she needed a baby-sitter for her kids, so I offered and it worked and now I baby-sit occasionally. Laurie must have a lot of courage and is very mature; I know I'm not ready to have kids now. Laurie's my age, so she had the kids when she was only eighteen. I'm so glad she's able to continue going to school. Staten U. has an on-site day care; a lot of colleges now recognize students who are parents and need day care. Laurie also works part-time doing clerical work in an office, so she uses the day care while she works and goes to school; she also gets financial aid for tuition and day care costs. It's almost eleven and Laurie's going to be back soon, so talk later.   


More soon! Hope you enjoyed this piece! More on the way! 


	3. 3

Heyy, thanks for R&Ring away, esp. Balletprincess; you're great at reviewing! Sooo, here's more!   


**September, 2004**: 

_Thursday_: 

What a swell weekend coming up! Abby, Anna, and Stacey are here! We're headed to the beach on Saturday for Labor Day weekend. We'll spend all Saturday there, then go out on the town Saturday night after it's dark and stay out as late as shit. Maybe do a little more exploring Sunday before the others head back, Stacey back home to Vermont where she'll be starting her last year as an undergrad student at Aberdine U and Abby and Anna back home to New Jersey.   
Did I tell you Stacey's majoring in engineering? She also finished her summer internship at the space laboratory. Abby is at Dexter U. and Anna is at Trenton Music Academy. Anna's already doing night gigs with a band at various nightclubs around Trenton. They share an apartment there and split the rent. Apartments are slightly cheaper in New Jersey than here in the Big Apple. It's soo good seeing some of the others again! Hey, we're all about to head out to eat; the others are downstairs now, so if I don't write here for the next few days, it'll be that we're busy canvassing the Big Apple!   
  
  


_Late Sunday night, 2004_: 

Wow, it did turn out to be a swell weekend! Stace, Abby, and Anna left a while ago and are on their way home. Soo, we basically spend the weekend nights out on the town. Went to the beach Saturday. Found out Abby's seeing a guy, Neil Dweller. Ran, Greta and Wyser finally met at least some of my BSC friends.   
We got to the beach at around ten and it seemed that the whole world was there! I guess everyone was trying to catch the last stretch of summer before heading back to school, work, and starting the fall season. I myself am looking forward to starting classes in two days.   
Weather's still warm, but now it's not in the nineties. I hope we don't have any more ninety-plus days until next summer. Would be nice if it never got above ninety again, but that's another story.   
Soo, the whole world and we were at the beach. Abby, Anna, and I made sure we lathered an inch thick layer of sun block since the three of us have very fair skin and have to be careful in the sun. The others got tan some, especially Kristy and Greta, who are the darkest-complexioned of our bunch. I'm kind of wryly smiling here as I look at my pale arm and remember that lousy pigmentation runs in my family. Oh, well, I had a good time and got a lot of surfing in along with my friends. I wonder if Dawn got some surfing in when she was in California in July? Hope so.   
We were there until it got dark at around nine, then slowly headed back into the city and ate at the Barroom Cafe. Then we scoured various nightclubs, including the one Wyser and Greta go to for dancing, drinking and all. Sure enough, we stayed up as late as crap (3 am) and had a blast.   
Almost everyone except Abby and Wyser got PLASTERED big time. I love wine coolers especially. I think even Abby and Wyser, though, got a little tipsy and they were the ones that got a cab for all of us because none of us wanted to get on the subway wasted and risk having our cash stolen or something. By then, Stacey had passed out (she was toasted after only two drinks) and I was pretty much out of it myself and wasn't making any sense when I tried to talk.   
So we got the cab home and I guess I passed out then, because the next thing I remember was waking up at around eleven this morning with a thundering headache and a great need to puke. Good thing Wyser or Abby put a pail by each of our beds and cots because I did puke big-time. So did Stace, Kristy, Mona, Ran, and Anna. Anna moaned that she wasn't drinking again until next year. Kristy kind of grinned wryly at that.   
Well, we just took it easy for today and slept on and off. I feel a lot better now, thanks to aspirin and several glasses of Seven-Up to soothe my stomach. Stomach still feels a bit gritty, but I'm not so nauseous and my headache's gone. The others are better; Stace and the Stevensons were all right enough to drive home by tonight. We'll have to do it again sometime. I'm getting sleepy and I have to get organized for school again; I have all the supplies and books I need and I'm registered and all; I just need to put everything in order tomorrow so I'll be ready to take on classes Tuesday.   
  
  


_Tuesday_: 

Classes are on again! Soo, today I had Adolescent Psych and Advanced German. Tomorrow it's School Government and Secondary School Essay Analysis. One's a Monday and Wednesday evening class, so can sleep late at least three days a week. I'm soo glad I took some summer classes the summer before this past one so I can graduate this year. Next semester, I'll only have to take three classes. Then it's on to bigger and better things, mainly grad school. I can't wait to get my career really moving. Hey, my cell's ringing...   
Excuse the interruption; that was Kristy. She's excited about her classes too; got all the course she wanted this year; she's is majoring in business management. She says she really plans to cut loose and throw a huge bash once we graduate from college. She can't wait to get done with school and out there in the real business world. She says as soon as she can, she'll be starting her own business. She's already formulating one of her great ideas...a furniture and appliance business specializing in left-handed equipment. Wow, I say go for it! It's right up our alley since both Kristy and I are left-handed. There aren't nearly enough things for left-handed people. It gets old after a while of reaching over with my left hand to use the can- openers for instance and have my left hand be over my right which I have to use to hold the can-opener in place.   
Just one more year of college. I know I'm going to feel like celebrating big-time once I graduate. In just a few weeks, I'll be twenty-one, the "legal" drinking age.   
I think it's so idiotic that back in the eighties, the drinking age was raised to twenty-one from eighteen. I mean, technically, you're an adult when you're eighteen. I don't get that bullshit where some older people think of us as "kids" and I sometimes get tired of being asked things like _Are you going "home" for the holidays_ and mean my folks' house. Some asspotatoes act like moving out of your parents' house and out on your own is some temporary relocation or something. Hey, don't get me wrong; I still love Stoneybrook and my old childhood place, but to me, home is here in New York City where I hang my hat.   
Mona and I talked about this the other day when some waitress asked if we'd spent the summer at "home" and meant our folks' houses. Mona agrees. Hey, we'll always have a place in our hearts for Stoneybrook, which is why we call it the old town. But once we left there, the old town is NOT "home" to any of us anymore. I guess one of these days, older adults will recognize that young adults are not the same thing as kids. Anyway, it's hard to believe I'll be twenty-one big ones in a few weeks, this 22nd. I'm about to get going, because I have several chapters to read and I'm going to call my folks and see how they are and catch up and all, so talk later!   
  
  


More later! 


	4. 4

_Friday night_:

Did my homework for the weekend, so now I have to rest of the weekend free to read, sleep late and all that good stuff. Well, most of it free, since I work tomorrow afternoon. Am lying here in bed at around midnight with a candy bar, cup of tea, and a good book.   
It's a biography on Annie Sullivan and boy, just reading about her awful childhood made me cry! I had to get tissues and wipe the tears from my eyes. I can't imagine growing up in an terrible poorhouse like that, then going through the trauma of losing her dear brother. I'm up to the part where Annie gets to the Perkins Institute now.   
I'm looking at you, Journal, and thinking how fortunate I am to be able to see you so sharply. Of course, I'm wearing glasses, but that's nothing compared to what poor Annie suffered a lifetime of...near-blindness and recurring eye pain. She was one courageous woman; she had so many problems in her life, yet lived with them with a rare heroism I really admire.   
It's always touching (and it makes me blubber away) reading about people in history who lived with and overcame enormous obstacles and lived successful lives. And back then, Annie didn't have access to a guide dog and women couldn't vote. Well, I'm about to read on about Annie's life at Perkins; I have a feeling that despite the problems she had, her life got better there.   


_Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004_: 

I'm on a work break now. Read more on Annie; her life did get better at Perkins, even though some stupid assholes in her class made fun of her because she was a "charity student." Why are some people so cruel to people they consider "different?" I'll never understand that mentality. Never. Well, today is the third anniversary of the 9/11 disaster back in 2001, so a lot of us New Yorkers are commemorating today. Some places are even closing early today and there'll be a memorial wreath laid on the site where the WTC used to be. So today, I'm feeling a bit emotional. I cried a little when I got up today. I gotta run, my break's almost over and today's very busy at the store; lots of students here buying books.   
  
  


_Monday night_: 

Got an ee from Claudia; her classes are going great. She also got into a program specializing in commercial art, so she'll get some hands-on experience at advertising. She says the leaves over in Minnesota are starting to change and the weather's turning cooler. Good hearing from her.   
  
  


_Friday_: 

Had a good week actually, aced two quizzes and got started on a term paper that's due in December. The weather's finally starting to turn a little cooler; it isn't so humid anymore and on the way home today, I saw a few leaves turning. Notice that the green in the trees is starting to pale for the fall also. Just another week or two and the leaves will be all colors.   
  
  


_Sept_. _22_: 

Can anyone say TWENTY-ONE? Hard to believe as of today, I am twenty-one big ones! Old enough to drink "legally." Officially a full-fledged adult! Wow, it sooo hard to believe! Sharon and Dad called today to wish me a happy birthday and said they'd be coming up on Saturday night to take me out to dinner. And all my friends called or ee'd to add their wishes and today, Mona, Ran, Kristy, Greta, and Wyser are treating me to dinner. Feels a bit funny going out to dinner on a school night, but we're making sure all our homework is done and on top of that, I don't have to get up TOO early tomorrow, since my first class is later. Well, let me shower and get ready!   


_Sunday night_: 

Mom and Dad came and saw our house for the first time. They came over and they treated me to dinner, then we walked around the city and did some catching up.   
"Wow, you can still see the Statue!" Sharon crowed once we got to our porch on the way back and saw Ms. Liberty lit against the night sky. She really looks beautiful. And to make the night even better, it's getting cooler here now and definitely has a feel of fall. Dad and Sharon stayed a few hours and met Wyser for the first time too. They've met Ran and Greta before.   
So, I had fun taking them on a grand tour of my new home and they loved it. I can't wait until all of us in the BSC get a break and maybe I can invite them here to see this place. I got tea for them and we sat and talked for a few hours. My first time as hostess.   
Wow, it was soo good seeing my folks again! Sharon is starting a new architectural project at her firm and Dad is working on a case involving business retirement settlements. That case reminds me a little of that huge mess about three years ago involving Enron where thousands of employees were drained of their retirement funds and left unemployed because of corrupt dealings and stupid mismanagement.   
We also pondered about where our economy is headed and Kristy and Mona joined in. Truth is the economy is still dragging along, just getting by and Dad and Sharon say that might cost Bush this fall's election. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because Al Gore is back in the running and is neck-to-neck with Bush again. I wonder if we'll have another situation like Decision 2000; only a Decision 2004. This year will be the first year I vote in a presidential election! It's great that he's coming back; I really hope he wins this time.   
So my folks, Mona, Kristy, and I talked and I think what a wonder it is that now my folks and I are like old friends. We've evolved from being "parents-child" to "adult to another adult." Kristy and Mona say it's the same way with their folks too. It's a very good feeling and I get the feeling Dad and Sharon feel the same way too.   
Funny, as they got ready to leave later on last night, I was the one telling them to drive carefully. Amazing how that works; a few years ago, it was Mom and Dad protecting and looking out for me; now I often feel protective of them and want to look out for them, make sure they get back all right and everything. Well, they got back to the old town now all right because I got an ee from them this afternoon. Sharon's almost done with the screened-in porch she's building on their house. So maybe next time I go back to the old town, we'll have a talking place out on the porch. It'll make a nice addition to the farmhouse. I just heard to buzzer go off in the washer downstairs, so I'm headed down to see if my laundry is done; tonight's my laundry night.   
  
  


More later! 


	5. 5

Been busy, so I know it's been a while since I added, so here's a little more! Enjoy!  
  
  
October, 2004:  
  
Saturday afternoon:  
  
Am studying here in the library, Liberty library. As you might guess, it's named after Ms. Liberty. Am working on a humongous paper due in December. I think I got all the notes together; my topic is adolescence over the years in different eras. Right now, I just went on a little break and am drinking a coke from the vending machine out here in the hall. Good thing I'm off work this afternoon, so I have the whole afternoon to work on this paper. I hope I can get it in before T-day, so I don't have to deal with it along with finals in December. The weather's slowly turning cooler at last and I'm glad. The trees in Central Park are really pretty, I've been hearing; Kristy and Shane are probably there now, playing a little football. Mona's at work and Greta and Wyser are out somewhere, I don't know where. Not many people in the library. Funny how the library's almost empty on weekends most of the semester, then the last week or so before finals, it fills up with people cramming for exams. Just finished my soda, so I'm headed back to the book-mines to do more on my paper. Hope I can get it all organized and get an outline together by the evening, then at six, I'm meeting Mona at the student cafe for dinner.  
  
  
Monday:  
  
Between classes now, grabbing a fast lunch. Grilled cheese sandwich, tea, and a candy bar. It really feels like fall now and the leaves around campus are beginning to change. There's even an ad for a Halloween marathon of scary movies advertised in the main student union lounge. Probably will skip that since horror movies make me too nervous and I get nightmares and goosebumps from them. Dawn loves them; she'd probably enjoy something like that. Speaking of which, I got an ee from her yesterday. Says she can't wait until she graduates from Tucson U. in the spring and hopes to come visit in the spring. She asked if I was headed to the old town for Thanksgiving and I ee'd back and said I was. Stacey also called on Sunday and is doing all right in her classes. Is working on a term paper and an experiment for her advanced engineering axioms class. She also has a cough. Hope she isn't getting a cold; I notice a few people here have colds. Flu season will be kicking in soon also. Hey, I just saw Greta come into the snack room, so I'm waving her over.  
  
  
Thursday:  
  
We had an interesting discussion in Adolescent Psych today. What we've been doing is looking at letters and questions real teenagers, parents, and teachers have asked and proposing answers to them. One question was that if you suspected your teenager was doing drugs, would you search her room? I say no, no one has the right to search someone else's belongings. Some of my classmates say yes, it is in some situations! Connie Mitsu had a good point to rebut that...if you keep lines of communications open and don't have a judgmental attitude toward your teenager, she will not feel the need to hide things from you. Good point. Not long ago, we were teenagers and I haven't forgotten my need for privacy, yet the need to be open with my folks. Kind of reminds me of back when we were in ninth grade, I was going out with this guy, Logan Bruno. We'd had a pretty intense relationship and came VERY close to having sex in the barnhouse behind my old house. It had been a rainy November day and it had been cozy in the barn. We'd gotten really sexually exited and Logan had a hard-on while my vagina had gotten wet. We thought about having sex, but knew it was too risky without protection and that neither one of us was emotionally ready either, so we put it off and let it rest at petting. Later when my folks came home from work, we'd talked a little and I'd been able to be open about the fact that I'd come close to having sex. My folks were great about it. I feel lucky to have them; a lot of teens can never be that open with their parents. Logan and I broke in in April of ninth grade and it had been really painful for both of us and both of us had cried and cried. I didn't lose my virginity until I was nineteen, my second year in college, to a redheaded guy named Chris. Chris and I were in a hot tub and we ended up having sex there. This time we had adequate protection and we were both emotionally ready. It had been really enjoyable! I think the only one of us BSC who is still a virgin is Stace. Stace says when she finds the right guy she will, but I guess she hasn't found anyone yet. I know Kristy and Shane are sexually active; those two have a great sex life. It's really too bad that so many parents are squeamish about sex; it's prevalent here in the States; in Europe, there's not a huge hangup about sexual issues.  
  
  
  
More later! 


	6. 6

Wednesday:  
  
Got an ee from Dawn saying that her archeology theories is actually going on a real archeological dig, a kind of internship that's supposed to last until T-day break. Amalia Vargas, a friend of hers, goes to Tucson U. with her. She also keeps in touch with her other west coast friends, Sunny Winslow, who goes to San Francisco U., Maggie Blume, who is at Arcata U. and Jill Henderson, who's now at Ann Arbor U. in Michigan. I met them a few times back in high school; they're a good group. Abby and Anna's birthday is coming up this Friday, so Kristy, Mona, and the rest of our gang are going down to New Jersey to see them. I have their b-day presents already; all's I have to do is wrap them. They'll be twenty-one big ones. Got homework and laundry to do, so talk later.  
  
  
  
Friday:  
  
Am getting ready to head over to Abby and Anna's in Jersey. The weather's definitely turned to fall and is crisp. Just another week or so and the trees will be in their peak. Am making a lot of progress on the paper I'm working on; maybe I'll have it done before T-day break. Kristy and Shane are right downstairs with Greta and Wyser. Mona's in the bathroom and I myself am doing some last-minute running around before we leave. Claud ee'd, so I ee'd back. She says the weather over in Minnesota has gotten a lot cooler and the trees there are in their peak. By November, most of their leaves are gone. Soo, we're about to hit it and catch the subway, so talk over the weekend!  
  
  
Sunday night:  
  
Had a fun, eventful weekend. Went over to Abby and Anna's Friday night, took them out to eat. Their mom was there too and all of us had a good time. Kind of reminded me of when my folks came last month for my b-day. Now they and their mom have evolved into an adult-to-adult relationship. Their mom's doing all right; she's moving to a condo in the spring. There are more and more condos and apartments springing up in the old town and some of the condos have terrific deals on them. She'll also be eligible to retire in a few years. Wow, strange to think of your parents being old enough to RETIRE. My own folks are in their early fifties now, so their retirement is around thirteen years away. Bizarre to think of parents being old. Speaking of which...I read a little more of the book on Anne Sullivan and am now up to the part where she's middle-aged and Helen is in her late twenties and their relationship evolved like that...they ended up relating as two mature adults rather than teacher and child. Now, it was a point where Helen started looking out for Annie and protecting her. Anyway, back to this weekend...once we got back from the great eat-out, we had the gifts for them and cake and everything. We had a cake for each of them actually, a chocolate sports one for Abby since she loves chocolate like Claud and I do and a lemon-frosted carrot cake for Anna with music notes on top in orange icing. They loved it! And it was good seeing them again as well as their mom. Came back home late that night and I worked Saturday afternoon after sleeping the morning away. Then Saturday night, Mona, Kristy, and I headed out to eat and cruise the city a while. Looked at the WTC memorial. Until the new building is built, there are two huge flashlights lighting two "towers" in the sky. It's really haunting and beautiful and still makes my heat squeeze remembering the tragedy that took so many lives. Stayed up as late as shit even once we got back. Greta and Wyser had been out on a date and got back and we watched a video and hogged out on junk food and sodas. Then played this game called If. It's a matter of asking these questions like *Would you eat a bowl of crickets to save a life* and *If you could meet any historical person, who would it be?* Things like that. It's a fun game. I picked Anne Sullivan as the person I'd like to meet. She was one strong woman to have endured so much pain in her life as well as her handicap of being almost blind. I read about her life and think, God, how easy my life is in comparison! We're very lucky to live today. So, this afternoon, all of us...Kristy, Greta, Wyser, Mona, Shane and I took a walk to Central Park and walked around there and just admired the trees. They're sooo beautiful! In the middle of the buildings and all, it's harder to see the color, so I'm glad NYC has a huge park. The day was pretty good too. Cloudy, actually, but nice and cool. Haven't had any real cold days yet. Headed back late that afternoon and it started to drizzle. It's still drizzling now as I write this. It kind of gives me a nice peaceful, misty feeling inside. I wonder if it will rain tomorrow?  
  
  
  
Thursday:  
  
Didn't rain most of the week, but is raining today. I'm watching the rain from the windows of the student cafe between classes while I grab a snack. Looks pretty wetting the leaves, which are almost in their peak. The student lounge and cafe are decked out with pumpkins and cats and all. Hard to believe fall is almost in its peak. Stacey ee'd. Doesn't have a cold, but is still coughing. She's working on a huge term paper too. Am reading through my School Government text, going over the next few chapters, devouring a chocolate doughnut and tea and am writing her seemingly all at once. Hope I don't get doughnut frosting on you, Journal. Interesting how the public school system here in NYC is. Most of the schools are just numbers, but some have names. Wonder how they decide some of the names. The old town's schools were easy...Stoneybrook Elementary, Stoneybrook Middle, then Stoneybrook High. I guess with our old town, SHS was the main one because there are other high schools in Stoneybrook. SHS is the biggest one, though. I remember how there were about nine hundred or so students when my BSC friends and I started there, then the summer after our tenth grade year, there were school re-zonings, and the fall of eleventh grade, we got a whole wad of new students, raising SHS's population to over eleven hundred. One top of that, the high school in the rural district of Stoneybrook was falling apart, declared by the county to be a "failing" school, so it was completely closed down for re-building and its students were scattered and many of them came to SHS. I wonder how SHS is doing these days. I wonder how Ms. Silverbein, the principal there is doing. She was great. Is widowed and raised three kids by herself; her youngest is a year older than us, which means she probably graduated from college last year. Wonder if she's in grad school now or has a career started.  
  
  
  
Tuesday:  
  
Kristy got an ee from Karen and says that the next generation of the BSC is doing well. In another year, some of them will be ready to graduate from high school, so like us, they'll be training the NEXT generation of the Baby-Sitters' Club. Wow. That'll be the BSC Third Generation. Hard to believe Karen, Charlotte, Becca, Vanessa, and the rest of the gang are almost ready for college. I wonder if they'll be sick of living in the old town like most of us original BSC were. I remember how back in the spring of our senior year, almost all of us couldn't wait to get out on our own...senioritis, I guess. Stacey, though, had a hard time leaving the old town. Finally, her mom and the rest of us were able to convince her that it was the best move toward independence. Now she's happy in Vermont. I just finished more work on my paper and a wad of homework, so I have a little time to write here. Yeah, spring of senior year was an emotional time for all of us. I was sick of living in the old town, yet a little sad about leaving...maybe the fact that one stage of our lives were ending and another one beginning. I smiled a little as I remembered that I'd been getting ready to leave for school and I guess was still upset over breaking up with Tim Hastings and looked a little pale. Dad had gotten a little overprotective and had asked if I was sure I wanted to go to school. I'd gotten frustrated and exploded with a *Goddammit, I don't need to babied; I'm seventeen!* Fortunately, Dad and Sharon understood and weren't upset. I'd apologized for blowing off. Thinking back, it was the usual growing pains. I was fortunate that Dad and Sharon let me grow up and be independent. I know some parents have a hard time realizing that their grown kids are adults and still try to treat them like kids. Getting sleepy, so I'm about to brush my teeth and go to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
More later! 


	7. 7

November:  
  
Monday:  
  
Am in the library working on the paper. Am almost done it. Hey, I could be done by next week. Hard to believe it's November already. Not many people in the library tonight. Is quiet. Wait until exam time, then it's not so quiet. Even though we're not supposed to, some students sneak little snacks and soda in, so sometimes you can hear munching and smell chips and candy bars at that time too. Caught a particularly beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty earlier today just as it was getting dark. Looks like it has a blue hue all over in the NYC dusk just before it turned on for the night. My folks called a while ago, asked if I'm coming back to the old town for T-day break. Told them I am. So are Mona and Kristy. Greta says she's probably going to an aunt's in Maine and meeting her mom there, while Wyser's thinking of inviting her folks over to our house for T-day. Wyser's folks live in upstate NY, so it'll be easy for them to come over right that day. Well, I'm headed to the computers to print out the final draft of this paper. I'll go over it one more time, then it'll be done. I always save it on multiple disks just in case. Talk later.  
  
  
Saturday:  
  
Am on a work break in the lounge. Got the paper done and turned it in. Professor Rigal thanked me and said that it was good when her students turned in term papers early, so she's not swamped in December. Been mild this week, had a bit of an Indian summer with temps in the sixties all week, but today is much cooler and more fall-like. Trees are past their peak now and the leaves are mostly down. The bookstore display window has all sorts of Thanksgiving displays and one book has a picture of a huge turkey on the cover. It looks scrumptious. Wonder if my folks are having turkey this T-day. Kristy says her mom ordered the turkey and all her siblings will be there. Her brother Sam says he has something important to tell everyone there. Wonder what it is?  
  
  
Thursday:  
  
Is raining and I just got home. Saw the Statue of Liberty light up for the night again just as I got up on the porch to get in. Am a little wet, so I'm headed to the kitchen now to get a tea. Running out of stuff in the fridge, so I wrote down a list of stuff we need and as soon as I get paid this Saturday, I'll be doing some serious food shopping. Good thing we have a 24-hour Safeway a couple of blocks away. Today's the first really cold day we've had this fall; it was in the low forties today. Stace called today; she's almost done her paper. Her cough's better; still has it, but it isn't so bad anymore. She hopes she can get rid of it completely by T-day break. She also said she's headed back to the old town for T-day.  
  
  
  
  
Kind of a short chapter, I know, but I'll add more later! 


	8. 8

Finally have more on Mary Anne's journal! Enjoy and let me know what you think!  
  
  
  
Wednesday:  
  
Voted for the first time in a presidential election yesterday. Keeping my fingers crossed that Gore wins this time...if no one from the Bush "dynasty" fixes things. They're once again still counting votes this time in New Hampshire. Today at lunch, Kristy, Mona, Ran, Shane, Greta, Wyser, and I met and we talked about this campaign.  
  
"Thank the stars we're finally old enough to vote," Kristy told us.  
  
"Me too," I agreed. It's great that Hillary Clinton is still our senator. She's just been re-elected for a third term. Keeping my fingers crossed, even though I have the feeling it will be a while before we get any results. It'll be Decision 2004 this time.  
  
  
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Friday:  
  
Just got off the phone with my folks. I'm looking forward to seeing them for Thanksgiving. They told me that Grandma is also flying over to Stoneybrook. We talked a little about the election and they've of course voted for Gore. But then we chatted about other stuff...Sharon's work on the front porch, which is just about done. All's it needs is a screen and to be painted. Sharon says she thinks she'll paint it white. The election came up from time to time, but I guess...it was like the  
proverbial "elephant in the living room" with no one focusing on it, but being aware of it being a huge issue. Got ee's from Stacey and Dawn. Dawn's headed to the old town for T-day. Stace just finished a huge exam on Thursday as well as a paper. She told me she finally thinks she's gotten rid of that awful cough she had. She has a hard time with coughs and colds partly because since she's diabetic, her colds are harder to get rid of and she gets more coughs than the rest of us and second of all, most remedies like cough drops and Nyquil are out for her since most of them have glucose which can upset her blood sugar and make her sicker. I'm glad she's feeling better now. She says she'll be seeing her mom Wednesday up till Friday of T-day week, then seeing her dad Saturday and Sunday. Haven't heard from Abby or Anna since election day; I wonder if they'll be in the old town for T-day. Right now it's raining out. The rain's giving me a soft peaceful feeling, so I'm about to curl up in bed with a cup of hot tea, a giant chocolate cookie I bought from a street vendor earlier today and a good book.  
  
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Monday:  
  
Had a couple of midterms today. Boy, am I glad they're over! Have one more on Wednesday, then they're done until December when finals come up. Wow, hard to believe that after this semester, I'll have ONE more semester of undergrad school, then I'll have my bachelor's degree! Makes me tear up just to think about it. My God. Just one more semester. Then it'll be on to grad school.  
  
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Friday:  
  
Am baby-sitting again, this time for a Carmen Venez. She's about thirty. She has a five-year-old son, Leo and a two-year-old daughter, Wanda. Cute kids, they're both so affectionate and often want to cuddle. Right now, I'm in her living room in the late afternoon while her kids while she's out running errands. Speaking of errands, I have to stop at the bank on the way home today; I got paid and I need to withdraw some cash for next week as well as order new checks. It's gotten cold weather-wise and the leaves are gone now. On the way here, I saw them swirling along the sidewalk like a little tornado and they looked so pretty. Grandma ee'd earlier this week and said it's gotten really cold over in Iowa and they've even had a few snow flurries. Oh, I can't wait until it snows here! I love snow and winter; it always looks so pretty, even here in the city. Some of the stores are decked out with Christmas stuff even though we haven't even hit Thanksgiving yet. Speaking of which, as of today, the fourth Harry Potter movie is out, so we'll also be in another Harry Potter era. I've seen the first two; I think Harry is cute and the movies were good; I liked that Harry never solved things through violence and isn't some all-confident "hero," but a rather sweet awkward boy with big glasses. Mona saw them  
with me and likes them also. She says she is going to see this one soon. Well, I hear Carmen coming up the walk, so I'm headed home. Talk later, Journal!  
  
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Tuesday:  
  
Still going...Decision 2004. Oh, well. Abby ee'd this weekend and said that her family was spending the T-day holiday in Long Island with her aunt. Oh, well, we'll miss her and Anna. Most of the BSC is making it back to the old town. Talked to Claud on Sunday and she's headed to the old town to see her folks. She's hard at work with scenery from the play Granite U. is working on. Her friend Liza, was an acting part. Did I tell you Liza plans to be an actress? Claud says she's very good., so she has a real shot at it. Go, Liza! Things have settled down since mid-terms. Started reviewing for my finals; don't want to wait until December, then be cramming on top of holiday shopping. Called my folks and offered to bring some of the making for stuffing. Dad and Sharon ordered duck for this year's dinner (Sharon and Dawn ordered a vegetarian substitute, since neither one of them will touch the duck). Am just walking around out on a little porch outside the Wheater Building and enjoying a cup of tea and a little break between classes and looking out over the quad, which is like a little courtyard in the middle of campus. It's cloudy and chilly, just the kind of fall scene you'd see in a real-looking painting. The colors of the leaves now are muted by a grayish haze. I love how it all looks. I'm so glad I live here in NYC.  
  
  
More later! 


	9. 9

Thursday:  
  
Just got out of a daydream about a Gore victory. Still counting and going. This time Texas is being re-counted. I'm here in a student lounge having a soda between classes. Oh, Bush is such an asshole! Well, maybe not GW... I suspect he's more of a pawn and an opportunist in the whole Bush dynasty saga. I really think Bush Sr. is the real asshole. Sharon once told me that he was sore when he lost the election to Bill Clinton in 1992 and I suspect he now wants to live on the glory through his son. Oh, well, just more waiting. I'm sooo glad I was able to vote this election! Even if Gore doesn't win this round, I'll still feel like my voice was heard in the government. It's drizzling out now and I have to head to class. Later!  
  
  
Later Thursday night:  
  
What a weekend coming up! Kristy's cousin, Brenda, who's now living in upstate New York, invited all of us...Mona, Ran, Kristy, Greta, and Wyser up to her place for the weekend! We're leaving Saturday late morning and it'll be about a two-hour drive there. She's renting a house with a roommate right up near the famous military academy, West Point. In fact, Brenda has a friend who's a cadet there. So, we'll all be renting a car and heading up there on Saturday and staying there overnight until Sunday afternoon. It looks like it'll shape up to be fun; I'm off work this weekend, so I'm free. So are Kristy and Mona. I just finished a stack of homework and am about to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and a good book. It's still raining, even harder now than it was this afternoon. It's so peaceful reading in bed and hearing the fall of rain outside.  
  
  
Friday:  
  
Am packing a few things and we're all getting ready to leave for Brenda's now. So, it might be a few days before I write here again. Hey, guess who else will be there? Kristy's step-cousin, Singer, a girl we knew in high school, who's our age. She went to Earhart High and I remember she'd had a baby near the end of our senior year in high school and gave the baby up for adoption. She a senior at Hartford U. now and is doing well. Well, we're about to hit it, so talk later!  
  
  
  
Saturday night:  
  
Well, here I am at Brenda's house in upstate NY. It's so quiet up here that my ears are actually ringing. I've gotten so used to living in the middle of a big city, so it feels like a big auditory void not to hear traffic, people, and other sounds here and there. Good seeing Brenda and Singer again. Both are doing great. Singer says she keeps in regular touch with the woman who adopted her baby and her baby is now near the end of toddlerhood and is in pre-school now. Singer says she's made the right decision and has no regrets. She's planning on going to law school. So, we got here early this afternoon and did some catching up. Then around mid-afternoon, we went on a hike. Brenda's place is near a wooded area, so we hiked through there. In the distance, you can see huge mountains covered with woods. It still looks so pretty even though most of the leaves are gone. We saw all these squirrels, raccoons, a few dear, a small bear, and even a black fox. Funny, we came right upon it on the path and it turned and looked at us with huge curious brown eyes. Kristy said, "Hi there" to it as if it understood human language. We stood still and watched it a minute while it grazed. Then it looked at us again and darted off into the woods, its bushy black tail streaked straight out behind it like a flying flag. We walked by and watched it disappear. The woods was even quieter than here. Several raccoons joined us on the path and it was like *okaaay, we'll share this walkway and these woods.* They were so cute! The ground is still bright with fallen leaves, so it was like walking on a huge multicolored carpet. We got back just as it was getting dark and ordered dinner from a Mediterranean place near West Point. Speaking of West Point, Brenda's friend wanted to come also, but her cadet troop had a special drill session, so she was out. Oh, well, we can meet her next time. We ate in the living room and had a blast, then watched a movie *A Beautiful Mind.* What a wonderful movie; of course I made sure I had several boxes of tissues. Brenda kind of laughed "Need some umbrellas, anyone?" She knows how much I cry. I managed a shaky laugh myself. It reminded me of the time back in middle school when Kristy would bring an umbrella as a joke whenever we'd watch *It's A Wonderful Life* at Christmas. Then we played the game If. It was a trip and a lot of fun, too. So, now it's around two-thirty in the morning, since we were up late playing the game. The others are asleep and I'm getting drowsy, so I'm going to sleep. Night. Talk later.  
  
  
Monday:  
  
Just a day and a half before the T-day break! I just got off the phone with Stace and she's headed to the old town on Tuesday night after her last class and offered to pick Kristy, Mona, and me up. I said sure. Oh, I can't wait to see our folks again! I just finished my last class of the day and am at work on a work break. Today is my day to do the inventory. A lot of other students are going to their folks' places for the holiday too. I'm going to pack tonight, so tomorrow once I get out my last class, all's I have to do is pack a few last-minute things and I'll be set to go. Stace told me that Claud and Janine will be in Stoneybrook for T-day too; they're coming in Wednesday. Oh, it's be swell seeing my old friends again! I can't wait to see the new porch Sharon's put up at my folks' house also. Hey, my break is almost over, so I have to head back.  
  
  
  
Tuesday:  
  
Just got back from my last class of the day. Waved goodbye to Greta and Wyser and am now here in my room, throwing a few last-minute toiletries in my overnight bag. My period just started today, so I just remembered to add tampaxes in there. Funny, I'm looking at the box as I zipped my bag shut just now and was thinking that I used to get cramps back early in high school, now I only get them occasionally and they're not as bad as they used to be. I also am reminded of how back the summer before we started ninth grade, I was the last of the senior BSC to get her period and was so embarrassed about it that I lied and claimed I had it. It had been at a sleepover at Claud's house and afterwards, I'd run into the bathroom and cried. I finally got it the weekend before we started high school and I fessed up about my lie. They'd understood and apologized for making me feel awkward. It's cold and windy out there, so I'm grabbing my heavier jacket. Stacey's almost here; she just called and said she'd just picked up Kristy at her dorm at Fellowdean, so Mona and I are booking now; hope I can squeeze in time to write here during the holiday! See you in the old town!  
  
  
  
  
  
More later! 


	10. 10

Tuesday evening:  
  
Am now back in the old town and at my folks' house. It's about 11:30 and I'm curled up in bed in the guest room. Grandma, Dawn and Jeff are arriving tomorrow. Oh, I can't wait to see them! It's so great seeing my folks again! Feels a bit strange, too; I haven't been back here in about a year. So, on the way back here in Stace's car, I called Dad and Sharon to let them know when to expect me. Kristy called her mom and stepdad too. It's about a two-hour drive to the old town. Of course, being the holiday, everybody and their mother and uncle were on the road, so it was a bit congested. But as we got closer to Stoneybrook and we got off the turnpike, it eased up a bit. Felt nostalgic passing by our old landmarks, like Washington Mall, Stoneybrook Middle School and Stoneybrook High. We also saw some new things, like a Superfresh Mart across the street from Washington Mall and a couple of apartment complexes. Best of all, we saw indications of construction and in front of it was a sign for Borders' Books! Wow! Says that it will open in the spring. Swell, I love bookstores and I'd been to the one near Times Square a million times. It's neat, you can read books and get a tea and a snack at the same time. I wonder if Ms. Silverbein, our high school principal went to visit any of her kids or if they're coming to visit her. She has three grown kids, the youngest one being a daughter one year older than us. Kristy lives near Washington Mall, so her folks' house was the first stop. We all went in for a while and there were hugs and tears. It was great seeing Elizabeth and Watson again as well as some of Kristy's stepsibs. Karen and Andrew are at Stoneybrook Academy now. Next stop was Stacey's mom's place since she lives closer to Dad and Sharon. It was good seeing her again and Stacey's mom invited us in for a cup of tea. We did a lot of catching up and Ms. McGill told us that she was reading a good book on the late author V.C. Andrews, who died a few years ago when she was only in her forties. I read a couple of her books; most of them were so sad and bleak, making me cry. The book *Flowers in the Attic* was made into a movie back in the eighties. I saw part of it, then got scared by the mean grandmother and cold-hearted mother and leaned on Kristy and closed my eyes the rest of the movie, crying. Once we talked awhile, Mona and I headed to her mom's house for pretty much the same thing, then I headed to my own folks' house, which is about a ten-minute walk away. Once I saw Sharon, it was sob and hug time again. Dad hugged me too and both of them kept their arms around me for a minute as I joined them in the kitchen. We did some face-to-face catching up, then Sharon took me out back to show me the porch that she'd completed. Oh, it looks fantastic! It still needs to be painted, but still it looks terrific! She showed me pictures of some of the furniture she planned to put there...mostly white wicker and a little hammock to relax and lie in. Best of all, it's a screen-in porch, so even if it's raining, you can still sit out there and read or something. Looked out at the back yard then and even though most of the leaves are gone and it was kind of a gray, dusky day, the sight was still wonderful. Went upstairs and read a while until we had dinner. It's almost like old times, all of us eating here in the kitchen. It reminds me of back in high school, how during most of the week, all four of us...Sharon, Dad, Dawn, and I all had busy schedules. Dad is a lawyer; Sharon used to be an interior designer, but is now an architect; Dawn had been active in the environmental group at SHS after she moved her junior year; I myself had been involved in the school newspaper and also along with Mona and Anna, had played several musical productions at several SHS performances. So for most of the week, it would be either just two or three of us at the dinner table, but at least once a week, all four of us managed to be there and that's when we did our catching up...quality time, if you'd like to call it that. I'm thankful to have them all as my family. Hey, Tigger, the cat's crawling on my bed. I remember first getting him back at the beginning of eighth grade. He's about eight now, getting along in years. Doesn't move as fast as he once did, but is still a sweet lovable little tochas. I lifted him gently up and gave him a little kiss just now. I'm also getting sleepy, so I'm turning out the lamp now.  
  
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Saturday evening:  
  
Been a couple of days and a busy holiday so far. Tomorrow morning, I head back home. Dawn and the others got here Wednesday, so did Claud and Janine. God, it was sooo great seeing some of my old friends again! Of course Grandma and I cried and hugged right there in the airport. Dawn and Jeff were tanned and looked great as usual. So for that night, all four of us and Grandma were there for dinner. Dad and Sharon showed us the pre-cooked turkey. The sight made my mouth water. Dawn, Jeff, and Sharon have their vegetarian feasts as well. After dinner, Dawn and I took off for Claud's parents and most of our friends were there, except Abby and Anna, who spent Thanksgiving with their grandparents in Long Island. Claud called them and we all talked to them via speaker phone. Several of their cousins as well as both sets of grandparents seemed to be over there too and some of them said hi. Abby joked about the great game of relatives of the holidays and all. Anna and her band got a few gigs on weekends recently. Ms. Stevenson's doing fine. We had a few sodas, then headed over to Kristy's to play pool. Really felt like old times sake of course. We stayed there until almost midnight catching up and all.  
  
Thursday, the big T-day, all of us...Dawn, Grandma, Dad, Sharon, Jeff, and I spent most of the early part of the afternoon making the dinner. Dawn, Sharon, and Jeff, of course stayed far away from the turkey "carcass" as they call it and we joked around about each others' tastes in food. Dad, Grandma, and I are the meatitarians of the bunch and I myself am a big sweet-eater. I'm kind of smiling now as I think that some of the stuff I eat would make Richard Simmons gasp and faint in shock. Claud and I are the chocoholics of our BSC bunch; back in high school at our meetings and sleepovers, we'd pig out on chocolate big-time. We sat down to eat at around six and it was a kind of nostalgic peaceful dinner. I think back to the time when Dad and Grandma weren't on such great terms. See, back when my natural mom first died, Grandma, her mom, took care of me for a year and a half, then Dad reclaimed me and there was a dispute about that. I was just a toddler then, so I don't remember that part. But Dad took me back to Stoneybrook from Iowa and for a long time, he and Grandma barely spoke. Then when I was in middle school, Grandma wanted to see me again and Dad reluctantly consented. But the tension between them lingered until ninth grade. It had been T-day then and Grandma was over for the dinner and she and Dad got into an argument and I started to cry and begged them both to grow up. They did and started to work things out, at least they stopped bickering. Then the summer after tenth grade when a fire burned our old house down, Grandma came and brought more mementos and pictures and she and Dad officially made peace. So having the dinner this year made me grateful that they'd made peace. We stuffed ourselves as usual, then bit by bit, slowly got up and went other places. Dad, Sharon, and Grandma had coffee and went into the living room. Jeff went to see a friend and Dawn and I went up to her guest room and we talked, did a lot more catching up. She says that the temps in Arizona are hovering in the seventies. She also talked to her other friends, Sunny and Jill and they're doing all right. She also tells me that Maggie's mom is slowly getting stronger and standing up to her dad more, who tends to be controlling. For a long time, Maggie's dad kind of "ruled" the family, much like in some old-fashioned families, but it's getting better now. So my folks and Grandma went to bed around ten while Dawn, Jeff, and I stayed up as late as shit and played Uno at the kitchen table. Hard to believe after being stuffed from dinner, we ate a few snacks and Jeff even had a bit of leftover salad. I then e-mailed Greta and Wyser, then headed to bed myself with a good book and a cup of tea. Wyser's mom is over at our house visiting Wyser while Greta's up in Maine with her aunt, sister, and a couple of cousins.  
  
Slept until almost noon Friday. Almost everyone was up and out of the house by the time I woke up; Dawn was the only one there and she and I had a quick sort of brunch in the kitchen, then we headed out to Washington Mall to do a little early holiday shopping. The mall was a ZOO. It's all decked out with Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs and all. It's so pretty. Seeing the little platform in the center of the mall for the Santa reminded me of the time back in ninth grade when I'd overspent on my dad's credit card and took the elf job to pay off the debt. Boy, had that been an experience and a half! I'd also met a homeless girl, Angela there, who'd been kicked out of her house by her narrow-minded parents. I'd befriended her. I'd ended up inviting her over for the holidays that year and she fortunately was able to save up enough money to fly out west and join friends out there. I wonder how's she's doing now? I smiled softly and Dawn asked what I was smiling about. I asked her if she remembered the time I'd elfed. Dawn laughed then and said that yeah, she remembered. She'd thought I was going off the deep end because when I first took the job, I'd kept it secret because I didn't want anyone to know how much I'd blown on the credit card, but finally the stress got too much and I'd tearfully fessed up to Dawn, then my folks. Fortunately, they'd understood. It was a relief that I was able to pay off that debt and it taught me a little something about credit cards. I have one now, but I make sure I carry a calculator, so I never spend more than I can afford to pay at the end of the month. I only use it for emergencies and things like that. We bought a few things, then got home around late afternoon. Kristy had called and said that the big news that her brother Sam had was that he was engaged. Wow. In a way, I'm not too surprised; he's being going out with a Sherry Jade for almost five years and they've lived together for nine months. I called her back and she filled me in. I passed the congratulations message on to Sam and Sherry. So, Kristy's getting a new sister-in-law. I've met Sherry a few times; she's nice. She's part Native American and is rather tall, has big dark eyes and black hair that reminds me of Claud's. They're getting married in May of 2005. Kristy also invited all of us BSC to the wedding. Friday night all of us BSC went out to Aster and Dusker's for old times' sake. Saw a lot of high school kids there from several different high schools as well as a sprinkling of college students. We ate and talked a lot at first, then as we people-watched, we got kind of quiet and pensive. We then each commented about various memories we'd had. Mona remembered coming "out of the closet" here back in eleventh grade to me, then to the rest of us. Kristy remembered toward the end of our senior year of high school, it wasn't here, though; it was at this bar, the Macarena Cellar, when she, her then-boyfriend, David Amesworth, Claudia, Stacey, and I had gone there the night after our prom and drank some. I'd been driving, so I only had a half a small glass of scotch. Meanwhile, Claudia, Kristy, and David had gotten absolutely plastered and had to be practically carried home. We all laughed about that. "So...I didn't say anything real idiotic when I was wasted, did I?" Kristy asked us. Stacey and I shook our heads. I smiled as I remembered that emotional time right before the end of high school. It had been a beautiful night with a magenta and orange spring sunset and all. We then played pool until late, then headed back to our folks' houses.  
  
Slept late again today. Was mostly quiet today. Stace headed to her dad's place this morning, so Kristy, Mona, and I are taking the train back tomorrow. Earlier this evening, we had dinner in the living room in front of the fire, my family and I. It was a lot of leftover stuff from T-day. Dad and Sharon still have a lot of turkey and salads left to last them at least until Hanukkah.  
  
  
  
Sunday afternoon:  
  
Am home again! Mona, Kristy, and I caught the late morning train back after saying goodbye to our folks and got back home to the Big Apple just a few minutes ago. Got a chance to chat a little just now with Wyser's mom before she left to head back to her home. Greta will be back late this afternoon. Before we left, Dad and Sharon gave me a plastic container of leftover turkey to take home, so I thanked them and hugged goodbye. We also all decided to spend the Christmas week at Grandma's in Iowa. I'm looking forward to it; I haven't been there in a long time either. The whole city now is decked out with holiday stuff and the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center went up and is going to be lit in another week or two. Wyser told us that she and her mom and cousin went to the Macy's Day parade and as usual, it was huge affair. They're still cleaning up from it.  
  
  
Sunday night:  
  
Kristy came over for dinner and Greta's back, so we all sat in the kitchen and had leftover turkey and duck. Mona's mom also gave her a container with some leftover duck. Well, classes are on again tomorrow for another few weeks, then it's finals, then the MONTH-long winter break! Yeehaa, I can sleep in for most of those days when I don't have work! I think I'm hitting the sack early tonight, so I can gear up for holiday shopping and finals. Later!  
  
  
  
  
  
More later! 


	11. 11

**December**: 

_Friday_: 

The holiday season is officially here! NYC is completely decked out for Christmas and Hanukkah. Next week, all of us...Mona, Greta, Wyser, Kristy, Ran, Shane, and I plan to go ice skating at the Rockefellar Center and watch the huge tree be lit. Between studying for finals, I've squashed in some holiday shopping. I've already sent Grandma's gift since it'll be easier to travel without it. We all made a pact not to open our gifts until Christmas Eve at least. Speaking of which, my family and I are definitely spending the holidays with Grandma Baker in Iowa. It'll be fun; I haven't been over there in a while. Dawn and I and our folks already have the tickets ready, the e-tickets nowadays. What we're going to do is meet at the Des Moines airport at a snack bar once our flights land. Dawn and I will just head straight to the airports; we won't even be stopping in the old town. I'd be catching my flight from Kennedy Airport while Dawn would be catching a plane from Tucson. My folks are flying in from Stoneybrook, of course. Grandma will be then coming to pick us up late that afternoon. I can't wait! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Sunday night_: 

Spent all day shopping. Have just two more gifts to go. I've mailed out most of the ones to my friends. I still have to get my dad and stepmom's gifts, then I'm done. This week, I'm going to study like mad. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Thursday_: 

I am soo glad I got that paper done early! So many of my classmates are rushing to get theirs in now. Spent a couple of nights in the twenty-four hour room, which is a room in the library that is actually open 24/7. It's now busy with students studying like crazy for finals. Another week and a half is the finals, then it's the holiday break! My friends and I are defininately planning to go down to the Rockefellar Center this Saturday after Mona and I are done with work. I've already told my boss that I'm taking a two-week vacation and she okayed it. So I have a complete break until January 5. Been cold here all week, but not cold enough to snow. New York City is very iffy with snow during the holidays; sometimes we get it; sometimes we don't. Claud ee'd yesterday and said they were predicting snow nest week out there in Minnesota and possibly Iowa. She, Kristy, Stacey, Mallory, and Jessi are spending the holidays in the old town. Abby and Anna are spending Hanukkah/Christmas with their grandparents in Long Island while Mona and her mom are headed to her grandma's house in Hartford, Connecticut and will be spending the holidays there. Greta's headed to her mom's house while Wyser is spending the holidays at her sister's house along with her family. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Saturday night_: 

Spent a swell afternoon at the Rockefeller Center and got back just a few moments ago. All of us watched the tree being lit and the menorah being put up. What a beautiful sight it was! Also spent the afternoon ice-skating. Kristy and Shane especially had a blast racing on the ice. Those two are a riot and make me laugh! Mona and I are slower skaters. I've actually gotten proficient at it; back in eighth grade I wasn't so swell on skates and fell down quite a bit. My butt used to wind up sore. Nowadays, it's not the case, which is a relief. We had cocoa, tea...the winter stuff works. It was cold, windy and cloudy. Still no snow, though. Oh, well. If we do get snow, maybe I could take a walk through Central Park before I head to Iowa. Two years ago, we got a couple of inches of snow for the holidays and that's what my friends and I did. Once we spent our afternoon on the ice and saw the tree being lit at dusk, we went to eat at the Breakbar Cafe. We talked about our holiday plans for several hours. It's about twelve-thirty, which is technically Sunday. Later on, I'm going to spend most of the day studying for exams. We have our last classes of the semester this week, then it's exam time. Oh, it'll be neat not to have to worry about homework at all for almost a month! Back in high school, we didn't get homework over the holidays, but it was just two weeks and we'd still have to think about upcoming tests and long-term assignments due in mid-January. We don't go back until January 19. Yeee-haaa! I am looking forward to sleeping in on non-working days. Even a lot of my working days, I don't have to go in until around one or so and the bookstore is right on campus, so it's a short walk from home. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Wednesday_: 

Been studying. Sunday, I did manage to get a lot of studying in, but also I took a break and along with my housemates decked out the house for the holidays. Even though we won't be home for the holidays here, it's still a neat idea. Mona came up with the idea that we have a get-together the night before we leave. Good idea. She and I leave the same day. Kristy, Ran, and Shane are also coming too. Got an ee from Claud saying that Minnesota did get their snow after all; they got about five inches of it. Don't know if Iowa's gotten any yet, but I'd be willing to wager that they will have snow by the time we get there; they get more snow that we on the east coast do. I'm about to go to sleep soon, so I'll talk later. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Later Wednesday night_: 

My throat's a bit sore; I just got up to get some cough drops. I hope I'm not getting a cold. My nose feels kind of tender and my throat feels like I swallowed ashes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Saturday_: 

Spent the afternoon working and just got home. It's drizzling a little. Still no snow, though. And I do officially have a cold, but fortunately, it seems to be a mild one so far. Exams start Monday and will end on Wednesday. I leave for Grandma's on Saturday. Excuse me, I just had to get up and blow my nose. I hope I don't get snot on you; sorry if I do. I guess I should be glad I don't have to flu; it's the flu season and quite a few people at school are down with the flu. I just hope I can shake this cold before Saturday. I better head to bed early, so this cold doesn't get worse or spread to my housemates. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Wednesday afternoon_: 

FINISHED!!! Done with exams!!! Wowww! Mona's done too and she got home at the same time I did and we've been whooping it up in the kitchen. I'm also done with the holiday shopping and have everything mailed. I just mailed the last gift this afternoon and boy, the post office was a ZOO, which isn't surprising, being the holidays. Greta and Wyser'll be home in a little while and we'll probably head out to eat with Kristy, Ran, and Shane. Ran is headed to Minnesota to see her mom while Shane is headed to Massachussetts. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Friday night_: 

All of us...Greta, Wyser, Mona, Kristy, Shane, Ran, and I went out to eat Wednesday night kind of to celebrate the start of the holidays. We stayed out as late as shit and just ate, drank, and felt fat and drunk. Well, actually, Shane, Kristy, Mona, and Wyser got a little drunk, since after dinner, they had a huge wine. I would have had some, but I was still battling this cold and I didn't want to make it worse with alcohol. I am feeling better today, my nose isn't running so much anymore and my throat's healed. I still cough some and have a slight ringing in my left ear, but I think the worst is over, which is fortunate because I'll be on a plane for several hours tomorrow. My flight leaves at twelve-thirty, but I plan to get there at ten. I just ee'd my friends to wish them a happy holiday in case it's busy at Grandma's over the holiday break. Stacey and Kristy are heading back to the old town on the 21. Claudia's flying in on the 22nd. Ran and I are taking the train, then a bus over to Kennedy, then we'll part and catch our flights there, since Ran's flight is leaving at one for Minneapolis, where her mom's picking her up. She says her grandmother and aunt will be there too.   
Tonight, all seven of us...my NYC bunch, I think of them, had our get-together and exchanged our gifts. Had a fire in the fireplace, had cocoa and cookies and holiday music and all. It was a nice affair. Still no snow, but it's wintry enough outside to feel like Christmas/Hanukkah. I'm getting sleepy and I have a flight to catch tomorrow, so talk soon! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Saturday_: 

Am on the plane now on the way to Grandma's. All of us wished each other a happy holiday, then Ran and I left. The airport was PACKED. All the seats on this plane are full and we're all close together. We got there a little before ten and went through security and all. I just have a big overnight bag, so I really didn't check in any luggage. Ran's staying with her mom until January 7, so she had a suitcase with her and checked that in. Once my flight was called, we hugged goodbye and I boarded. So here I am. It's about a three-hour flight. Food's been edible. Not great, but edible. A chicken slab and some peas, then a snack of jello. Cold's almost over, but I feel a bit run-down. I think it was exams that helped it along. Right now, I'm trying not to yawn. I still have a mild infection in my left ear, but I'm just grinning a bearing it. I'm happy the holidays are here. Called Grandma before leaving to let her know when to expect me. She has the menorah up; tonight's the third night of Hanukkah and once we all arrive, we'll head back to her house for a Hanukkah dinner. It's shaping up to be nice. Hey, we're going to land in about a half hour, so I'm putting you away for now, Journal and it may be busy, so don't be surprised if it's a few days before I write in here. 


	12. 12

_Wednesday_:

Been a quiet afternoon. I'm sitting in the spare bedroom now of Grandma's house. Got here all right; we all met in the waiting lounge of the airport here in Iowa. Des Moines airport is really small compared to Kennedy. And best of all, we have snow here! So...Saturday night...we all meet and exchange hugs and some tears (mostly Grandma and me with the tears). Once we got back to her place it was getting dark and I gasped in delight to see that she had a huge menorah by her living room window. It's so gorgeous, journal! Looking at it from the door of the living room, it reflects on the windowsill, which in turn bounces off the snow. There are few sights more beautiful than holiday decorations among a snowy backdrop. So Saturday night, being the third night of Hanukkah, Grandma lit the third candle at dinner, the smaller menorah at the kitchen table. Funny, none of us are really religious, but we celebrate the secular aspects of the holidays...we mix some Christmas in there, since Grandpa Bill used to be part Lutheran. Grandma grew up observing mostly the Jewish holidays, even though _her_ folks weren't exactly religious. We had a special meal that night, then exchanged small treats. Later, we went into the living room and sat by a lit fire and talked and ate Christmas AND Hanukkah treats. They were fantastic. So, it's Grandma, Dawn, Jeff, Sharon, Dad, and me here. It's sooo good seeing Dawn again! And Jeff, my folks, and Grandma! We were up late, just enjoying the fire. I watched the flames a while and thought of how scary, yet beautiful fire is. I thought of the fire that burned down the old farmhouse back in Stoneybrook the summer after my tenth grade year and how upset we'd all been. Oddly, it was that fire, however, that brought us closer together, esp. Dad and Grandma. Grandma had helped us replace some of our lost mementos. We'd rented a house on Bradford Court, right near Mona and Claudia for a year after that. Dawn moved back to Stoneybrook for our junior and senior year of high school. Then the summer after our junior year we'd had the farmhouse rebuilt and moved back in. I smiled softly as I thought about our family now sitting in front of a fire here at Grandma's. Iowa is soooo quiet, at least this part of the state and especially compared to New York City. Strange seeing so much open space. I guess because I'm a city person, I'm so used to seeing busy streets and all these people rushing around and all. Grandma often jokes that if you blink while passing this tiny town, you'd miss the town altogether. It's one of these quaint towns where everyone knows everybody and there's just one main street, one school district, one library, etc. So that made up our Saturday night.   
Sunday, Dawn, Jeff, and I slept late, then woke up slowly and had potato pancakes and tea. It was a bright, snowy day and later on the three of us went up to the nearby hill to sled for a while. It was almost like back home where we'd sled through the hills of Central Park. Then we took a walk around town. Dawn and Jeff picked up a few last-minute gifts. The whole town had Christmas decorations all over. It was a wonderful sight, kind of like a postcard. I was also reminded of the trip to Germany our family took the holidays of our first year in college. Sharon had won the trip for all of us, Grandma included. So we went and stayed at a medium-sized village in Bavaria and it was beautiful and quaint with snow and all. In Germany, there were mountains in the background, but Iowa's mostly flat. "Sooo, you're Verna Baker's grandkids?" one clerk asked. We nodded and introduced ourselves. "Heyyy, yes, Mary Anne, I remember when you was a baby here?" I blushed and thanked the clerk as we left the store. Another clerk asked who we were visiting or if we were new in town. Soo, that's what small town life is like. I know, I've been here numerous occasions and a lot of people here know me as Verna Baker's granddaughter. We then headed back to Grandma's and had dinner. It must have been around after dinner that I noticed that Grandma has a cough. I hope she isn't coming down with a cold. She says she isn't and has had the cough for a few days. So far she doesn't sound stopped up or anything. I just hope with flu season here and all, she'll be all right.   
E-mailed my friends on Tuesday night. Yes, Grandma does have one small, old computer in her basement. I actually taught her how to use e-mail and surf the net. She still doesn't use it much, just for keeping track of her crops and animals and all. By the way, one of her goats is pregnant and is due any day. We went out to see her and she's HUGE around the middle and rests a lot. I guess being pregnant does that to you.   
  
  


_Saturday, a little after mightnight_: 

Well, my watch bleeped a little, so it's officially X-mas day! We did our gift exchange Friday night in front of the fire. Had a great time, stayed up as late as shit, even our parents and Grandma. Grandma gave each of us a Hanukkah gelt, which is holiday money. Thursday was the last night of Hanukkah, so we just put our big celebration in between. Also had a huge dinner with a ton of food. All of us gathered into the kitchen and spent an afternoon preparing it; it was duck (precooked) and all sorts of other things. Normally, I don't like cooking, but this time was fun, since we were all laughing and joking around and fooling with things, tossing berries and all. Grandma's kitchen really isn't that big, so we kept bumping into each other. By the time we sat down, the counter and sink were covered with junk. We cracked up at the sight, then dug in. I must have stuffed myself for three days. We then did a huge cleanup once we ate, talking away. Grandma says that they've finally renovated the old synagogue across town and she and her friend Janet went there to a bazaar last month. There're actually quite a few Jewish people in Maynard, not necessarily practicing ones, but still with some Jewish in them. She says when she was younger and my mother, Alma was young, they just had one Lutheran church and a Methodist church in the town and that was it. They were also one of only two Jewish families here at the time. Back then, there was much more religious intolerance as well. Made me think of Stoneybrook and growing up there. Stoneybrook's of course much bigger than Maynard and more diverse, always has been I guess. I think of how fortunate I am to be living now, where for the most part, people are more enlightened and freer. Grandma says how lucky Dawn and I were not to be around in the fifties when she was young because women had so few options. We then went on to the living room for our gift exchange. Had a nice, sleepy peaceful feeling by the end of the night. Drank a ton of tea and some cocoa too. Right now in fact, I have to go pee, so talk later!   


Monday: 

Been quiet. Waiting for the year 2005 to start. God, hard to believe it's the mid-double oh's! Unfortunately, Grandma still has the cough, but thank the stars she doesn't seem to be coming down with anything else. Her coughing is a dry cough and mostly comes in periodic spurts. I hope it's better soon. Got a couple of ee's, one from Abby and Anna and one from Mona.   


_Wednesday_: 

Ran called. She says they have a lot of snow where she is with her mom in Minnesota and they're calling for more snow there tonight. Talked for a while. We wonder if New York's gotten any snow yet. Nice talking to her. This morning as I woke up, I heard Grandma coughing again and she didn't sound very good, so I went over to see if she was all right. She seems to be other than that cough and told me not to worry. For some reason, this coughing spell lasted a bit longer and I guess it made me nervous. She says it's not bothering her, but I think it is some. She smiled then, stroking my cheek and told me that my mother used to worry like me too. I couldn't help but smile at that too.   
  
  


**_Saturday, January 1st, 2005!_**

It's the New Year! 2005 at last! We of course, had a wake and played Uno until midnight. Had some light flurries yesterday. Slept late as shit today and just got up; it's about noon. We leave to head back home tomorrow, all of us...taking our flights the same way we came in. Of course, New Year's Eve here is much quieter than in NYC. I've seen the Times Square Ball drop several times on New Year's and it's neat sight...the ball is HUGE! It just glitters too and reminds me of a huge disco ball that was popular back in the seventies when our folks were growing up. Speaking of seventies and all...I saw the feminist classic _The Feminine Mystique_ on Grandma's bookcase yesterday! I read the book a long time ago on a high school English assignment. Even though it was written way back in 1963, a lot of it is relevant to women even today. I didn't know Grandma had a copy. It's a really good book. I asked Grandma when she'd gotten it and she said back in 1965. She and Grandpa had both read it and had been shocked that so many women even in larger towns and cities were still limited in their lives. I mean, she herself was in a small town and jobs for women had been limited then. She'd always handled heavy work herself, being a farmer and was telling me that back then, people considered it "unfeminine" or something for a woman to lift hay, shovel snow or take care of animal stalls. She kind of smiled ironically remembering that also people had called her a "farmer's wife" but never a "real" farmer; they just assumed that Grandpa Bill did the "real" farm work. We were in the kitchen and Grandma was putting away dishes; I was putting things in containers to put in the freezer as we talked about this. I then asked her if she'd read _Backlash_ and she said she had. She doesn't own a copy, but managed to get one from the library. I say managed because even then, in this town, the library didn't have a copy and she had to get an interlibrary loan to get one from another town almost across the state. She says in her area, political books and books like _Backlash_ are very hard to find. Wow, God I'm lucky. I have a copy of that one and that book is also very powerful. It was written in the early nineties and was a kind of wake-up call that feminism's work is still not complete and to alert us to the insurgency of the conservative right-wing groups hiding behind "Christianity" and "pro family" stances to advance their own hidden agenda and to try to erode women's and gays' hard-won freedoms. There are some real stories of people who'd been victimized by these right-wing fanatics and some of those stories moved me to tears. It's a sacrilige, really what some of these right-ring groups do, basically hi-jacking "Christianity" and "family values" to force their beliefs on others. My friends and I often talk about where our generation is headed and what will life be like for our daughters. I just hope our daughters can be secure in rights that we've had to fight to keep. I'm thinking of how in our folks' generation and Grandma's generation, they had to fight for what we take for granted today. So, with this New Year, I still am optimistic that our world's moving forward. Now, if we just have a woman President soon, we'll really have made progress. Hey, I'm about to start packing, so talk later!   


_Sunday, January 2_: 

Back home again! Home again at the Big Apple! So are Mona and Kristy! And so are all the others, except Ran, who's staying until the 7. Good seeing everyone again, even though I had a swell time in Iowa too. Still no snow here at home, but at least it's cold and wintry. Oh, well, I think the snow will come soon. A couple of more days to rest, then it's back to work again. Am kind of looking forward to it. Have three more weeks of school break to go before classes start again.   
  
  
  


More later! 


	13. 13

Finally! Have a chance to add more! Hope you like the new look; I've been converting my stuff from txt to html which is much more versatile and I can italicize and do all that good stuff. I've just converted two of my stories, _Into the Light_ and _Roommate Lost and Remembered _to html if you want to see the new look there. Meanwhile, I have more on Mary Anne's journal as she enjoys the last half of her winter break, then gets ready to start her final semester in undergrad school! Enjoy! 

**January**: 

_Monday_: 

Am on a work break in the lounge. It's quiet here; a lot of students are still with their parents. Looks like it might snow out there; I do hope we get snow soon and maybe my friends and I can go on a ski trip. Just one more semester of undergrad school and I have a degree! Next is grad school. Oh, shit, my tea just fell off the table...   
Am back; got the tea cleaned up and got another one. It's supposed to be around twelve degrees tonight, so I have my gloves. It was so good seeing my folks and Grandma again as well as my other BSC friends and Dawn. Dawn says she got back to Tucson U. all right. After work, I plan to buy some of my books for the coming semester before the last-minute crowd rushes in. My break's almost over, so I gotta run.   


_Friday_: 

Just got back from a bash at Kristy's dorm. All of us...Kristy, Shane, Mona, Greta, Wyser, Ran, and I were there. It was sort of a post-New Year's celebration for those of us who'd been away for the holidays. Kristy's pyched already about her last semester. When she graduates, she intends to get started on her business. Right now, it's a little past midnight and flurries are falling outside, but there's no accumulation yet. It actually a nice party; I was afraid it would be boring, but it wasn't; the food was good and I ended up stuffing myself with chips and soda. I also met a few more interesting people, including a Lumie Evans and it turned out he shares my interest in music. Come to think of it, I'd seen him in a few of our music performances at Staten U., but this is the first time we ever really met. He's from Ireland, but is studying here for a year and goes back in the spring. He's from Limerick to be exact. That's where Anne Sullivan's parents were from, I told him and he said that there's a memorial there for Annie and he'd seen it. We sat by the fire and talked while most of the others danced. Mona then sat by us and the three of us talked for a long time about various things from motorcycles to world events to our post-college plans. Just then, someone called for more dancers and Mona, Lumie and I wound up joining the others in this great dance-a-thon. Of course, half of us were tipsy and I think Kristy and Shane were and would up toppling onto the floor on top of each other. The sight cracked the rest of us up. I danced a couple of times with Lumie, then with Mona, then Greta and Wyser. I usually am not a big dancer, but this was fun. Maybe it was because I know most of these people. Once the party ended around midnight, we walked Kristy and Shane back to the dorms, since they were tipsy, then headed home ourselves. Lumie and I discovered we'd be sharing Lesson Planning 301 the coming semester, so we parted with a "See you then!" 

_Saturday_: 

Finally! Snow at last! _Real_ snow on the ground, not just flurries this time! It's a few inches, not a whole lot, but enough to make it look wintry. Maybe if we get enough, my friends and I can hike up to Central Park and sled big-time. Just a few minutes ago, I walked up to the market to get some Italian bread and spaghetti meat and it's so nice and clean-feeling, the wintry pure snow. Most people were inside, but being a big city, there's always a few people out. But it was quieter than usual, everything being muffled, even the subway. Got back a while ago and have a cup of hot tea and some cookies. What a perfect day to have tea and a book, so I'm getting a great book out now. 

_Sunday_: 

Just talked to Sharon and Dad. They've got snow there too, almost ten inches. We have about five here in the city. They're doing all right. Sharon's done with the porch! Talked to Grandma too; she's finally free of that cough she had. What a relief. She says there in Iowa, they've gotten a lot of snow and it's been very cold there. She thanks the stars that she has several fireplaces as well as good heat. Just made some of my specialty spaghetti, so that's going to be my dinner for tonight and probably for the week. It's so easy to make and I can store it up for the week and plop it into the microwave.   
Last night, Kristy and Ran came over and we watched a video and had popcorn and hot chocolate. Seeing the video reminded us of how everything's going to DVD now and one of these days, we'd all have to get DVD players. They do have combo DVD-TV's now; I've seen them in Bloomingdale's and Best Buy. I guess when I graduate and get a better-paying job or some money really saved, I'll invest in one. Kristy says she's saving for one too. We spent much of that evening talking about how technology changes and how people change with it, even everyday little things like watching a movie or writing a paper. Speaking of which, I have to upgrade my compute soon; they now have the Windows 2004 out and soon will be the 2005. Wow, how things change.   


More later! 


	14. 14

_Author's note_: Hii, thanks for all your reviews, reader! I didn't expect to get this many on this story. Thanks, everyone! Actually. Hailey, it isn't supposed to be really a plotted story; it's more just Mary Anne documenting random happenings in her life and her feelings about it, which brings me to an oft-seen comment on political views...you're right in seeing that I endorse many liberal views, but so does Mary Anne and one thing I've always liked about her as well as the rest of the BSC is that they take note of what's happening in the world and have strong feelings about it. Too many other teen series have girls be just interested in just themselves and their immediate world, which is unrealistic. So in my stories, both my BSC and Harry Potter stories, I have the characters note world events and have opinions and feelings about them. In addition, in my BSC stories, Mary Anne goes through a lot (check out my stories When New York City's Tears Dry and Roommate Lost and Remembered for what the BSC goes through in college), so she gets even more involved in the world; she isn't just wrapped up in her own problems. That's why I love Mary Anne. Glad you all are enjoying it! On with more!   


  


_Monday_: 

Classes started again! Much as I loved my vacation, it feels good being back in school again! I can't believe it's my last semester in undergrad school! Then onward to grad school. Hope I can get some student-teaching positions in by next year; it'd be a big help for my career. Am taking an in-classroom hands-on course called On-site teaching. Am also taking an Internet class where we'll be taught to design websites for various classes aimed at teens. Bring it on, real world! 

_Wednesday_: 

Eee-ed Stacey today; she's started classes again too. She got into Aberdine's graduate program, plus she has a shot at a summer internship doing real engineering research involving electricity use. Go, Stace! 

_Friday_: 

Mona's in love. The new love is Angela Vinn and I met her just a few minutes ago before she and Mona headed for the movies. Mona met her two weeks ago, but they're taking things slowly. I don't blame her; I know I fall in love hard myself, so I take things slowly. Angela seems nice and she's nice-looking too...big brown eyes and auburn shoulder-length straight hair. So I'm here alone having a hot tea and writing here. In a bit, I'm going to be getting some homework done, then curling up with more tea and a good book. I'm now reading A Beautiful Mind. I saw the movie a couple of years ago when it came out and of course I cried and cried. It's about a guy with schizophrenia and bit by bit, he overcomes it and becomes a successful professor. He's also a math genius like Stace; I'll have to ee her about this book and maybe pass a copy to her. Like Stace, he often knows the answer to a long, complex equation, then works it backwards from there. Wow, what it must be to have that kind of math skill. But, I guess each of us are good at different things; I know I'm good at writing and music. I'm thinking maybe later on, once I get my teaching career established and I'm financially grounded, I'll try my hand at either writing a book or publishing articles for magazines. 

_Sunday_: 

Is snowing again, this time a big snow. We're all here at home; hardly anyone is going out this time. Good thing we have a huge stash of food. I've already heard the announcement that classes are canceled for tomorrow. The bookstore is also closed today and tomorrow, so I'll be off work. Possibility of a foot and a half of snow. Called Mom and Dad and they're getting a foot of snow in the old town. They were about to head out to shovel their walk when I called. Speaking of which, tonight all four of us will be shoveling our walk. Thank goodness it isn't a very long walk and there's just two steps to the street. I've never minded shoveling, so it'll be easy for me. I intend to sleep so late tomorrow. 

_Monday_: 

Snow, beautiful snow. Stopped early this morning, when I lay sleeping. Slept until eleven today, so I'm just waking up now and putting on some tea. I think Greta and Wyser are just waking up, I hear then stirring softly. Mona is on the Net. So, last night we shoveled to walk. It was deep, but was still soft, so we got it done in almost no time, then had a snowball battle, then made little designs in the snow. Came in at around eight, dried off, showered, then watched a video and had hot chocolate and popcorn. Saw _Chicago_. It's sooo funny; it's a musical about jazz and prison life in the twenties. We all cracked up and the scene where one singer is talking about how she wound up in prison and she says that it wasn't that she _stabbed_ her husband; he _ran _into the knife eleven times. Talk about turning truth around! Then we played several rounds of Uno and had taco chips and more chocolate. Then went on the Net and chatted with another group on the message board about the Middle East situation and how we hoped we could head off another war. It reminded me of last year when Claudia and her roommates helped an Iraqi friend escape an arranged marriage. All of us in the BSC helped dig up information and fortunately, she escaped and came here to the States. I made a mental note to ask Claud if she's how their friend is doing in my next ee to her. Then we went into the kitchen and had more chocolate and talked about various things, including world events, how are families and friends were doing and our plans for the future. We stayed up until around two, then drifted up to bed. My stomach is snarling and my left eye is itching, so I'm going to go eat, then wash up.   


  


More later! 


	15. 15

Hii, finally have more! Been busy, getting ready for T-day and all and working on Harry Potter fics. One of these days, I'll have to combine the HP gang with the BSC; they'd make a great combination! Thanks for the swell reviews, everyone! 

The usual disclaimers that the BSC characters belong to Ann Martin while Mona Vaughn belongs to Betsy Haynes. Upward and onward with Mary Anne's journal...   


  


**February:**

_Monday_: 

Still lots of snow around. Am enjoying my last semester in undergrad school. Next year I'll be eligible to student-teach. Can't wait. Stacey called last night and is asking all of us in the BSC if we'd be interested in a re-union sleepover when we graduate. It'll probably be in late June or early July. We're toying with the idea of making it on the week of July 4. I told her I'm in; Kristy and Mona also added that they'd love to. She ee'd most of the others and they're in. It'd be nice, all ten of us being together again, having a sleepover for old times' sake before we get on with grad school and starting careers. 

Speaking of which, one class Kristy's taking is in business trends and they have interesting discussions on how human psychology affects business. It sounds interesting.   


  


_Saturday_: 

Just got back from a triple-date...Kristy and Shane, Mona and Angela, Lumie and me. Went to the Cheesecake Factory. We haven't been there in ages. It was a two-hour wait for a table, so we went up to Barnes and Noble to browse around as we waited. 

Wow, this world is getting more and more complex, so it's good we're keeping up with what's happening and things and how it affects people. Kristy chatted about her business trends class while I said some things about how students are being prepared for today's business world and careers and are schools keeping up with the new technology and all. 

Esp. high schools need to be on the ball about these things. Some high schools are doing a good job with it and their students are the ones that are about to get the good jobs once they leave college or high school, but you have some schools that are still behind in those areas and many of their students are unprepared. 

Lumie and Angela added about schools in other countries how they prepared students for the working world. Mona added about medicine and technology both in this country and in others and how different countries could pool their resources together to make the world a better place. From there, we wound up discussing relations between countries and moved onto world peace. 

It's amazing how our conversations move from one thing, then thru a small connection, another. First it was business trends, then schools preparing students, then how young people are raised and how that's improved in the past thirty years, then the evolution of human psychology, then the evolution of social movements like feminism, civil rights and gay rights, then how that made the human mind evolve more and how human minds move to invent things and how close inventions are to social movements and how life has gotten faster and easier and how various cultures use technology, then nations relating, then world peace...God this could go on for five million pages. 

Buuut, that's how the conversations with the BSC go and I'm glad. It's nice to have friends where we can bounce various ideas back and forth and just "evolve" a conversation about almost anything. E.g., we could be in a restaurant with old photos on the walls and could get into a conversation about how cameras changed in taking pictures and why and how it launched films and video cameras and all. It's rather neat how everyone has some different idea that they add and we wind up building more on it. 

It's a satisfying way to spend time with friends. Actually, I'm not a big talker; I do mostly listening. I learn a lot from my friends and I've known them forever. I'm thinking about this now as I soak in the tub and get ready for sleep.   


  


More later! 


	16. 16

Yeah, I know it's been ages since I updated this one. I move back and forth between Harry Potter fics, _Roseanne_ fics, and BSC fics. Lately, I've been in a BSC/_Roseanne_ mood, so here's another BSC update. Enjoy!

**March:**

_Saturday, Late Night_:

Lumie and Angela were here for a while and we had dinner, then talked a while, then had sex. I mean Mona and Angela and Lumie and I respectively. Then we played a few rounds of Uno. Mona won most of the games. They just left a little while ago. Lumie might be going back to Ireland in the summer; Angela might be accepting a graphics job in upstate New York next year.

This semester is really flying by. Most of the now we had in February is melted now and we even had a rather mild day the other day. I know I'll be blubbering away at graduation time. I also found out that I'm up for possible valedictiorian. Wow...I'm pleased about it, but also a bit scared about giving a speech in front of thousands of people. I've always been so terrified of public speaking or performing. Just being the center of attention makes my face redden even now just thinking about it.

* * *

_Thursday_:

Yaaaaaa-HOO! I got a summer position student-teaching a summer school class at an actual high school. It'll be sophomore history, American history. It's a start. Me, an actual teacher. Well, almost. Just this semester, then three years of grad school, then I will be a certified teacher.

I think it'll be almost like our baby-sitting days when my friends and I were in the BSC. It was a good experience for all of us...we sure got plenty of experience dealing with all kinds of kids (and all kinds of parents as well).

I used to think I was a weakling long ago before Kristy started the BSC. One of my early BSC jobs involved Jenny Prezzioso getting a very high fever. I'd been shaking with fear inside, but people told me I was actually calm and handled it well. I guess I controlled my fear well so it didn't show to others and especially to Jenny. Jenny is now an alternate officer in the BSC.

* * *

_Following Thursday_:

Still shaking a bit from an earlier experience. Went down the the nearest 7-11 and I think I almost walked in on a robbery. The store was eerily quiet and I headed down the aisle when this lady pulled me behind a magazine rack and whispered to hold still and not make a sound. _What?_ I mouthed to her. She gestured toward the front where I saw this guy with a hood over his head and I swallowed when I realized he had a long knife and was pointing it at the clerk.

I felt as if I'd been dunked underwater and everything was in slow motion. I hoped to all the heavens that he didn't have a gun. I guess he didn't, but that knife looked scary. The guy took the cash the clerk handed him and fled. I heard sirens and figured the clerk must have pushed a police-call button. The woman and I waited a while until we were sure the robber wouldn't come back.

I guess the police got the message quickly because they came in and the woman and I came out from behind the rack. We answered their questions, me between gulps. My throat was so dry I just couldn't stop swallowing. I made sure the clerk was all right. Wow. I'm still shaking and gulping a bit.

* * *

_Saturday_:

Kristy, Mona and I went out for dinner and Kristy has more ideas for the business she plans to start...left-handed appliances and furniture. We're thinking up a name for the company. Kristy says she hopes it can become a nationwide, and maybe even an international chain eventually. Knowing Kristy, she'll find a way to make it happen. She's always good at making things really take off.

* * *

_Sunday_:

Bush is such an asshole. I was getting a DVD ready to watch and had to catch a glimpse of his rotten face a moment before I loaded the DVD and he was yakking on about how he and his party had "succeeded fabulously." Oh, give me a break, the guy barely "won" by a skinny microscopic margin. Mona and I both actually doubt that he really won honestly. Kristy suspects some of these elections are rigged and says she can't wait until we get out into the world. She says she plans to one day fully investigate the electoral process undercover and see what's really going on.

Well, I loaded the DVD fast just to shut Bush's face up and Mona, Kristy, Greta, Wyser and I watched _Spanglish_. Funny, yet poignant. Parts of it made me cry naturally. It also made me think. Personally, I think both mothers were too uptight and strict with their daughters. The mom Deborah was a nasty ass, especially about the daughter's weight. We tossed chips at the screen at some of Deborah's appearances. Despite Bush being on regular TV, we had a fun night.


End file.
